Hydrocarbon conversion to liquid fuel by high-energy electron beam irradiation

Abstract

Hydrocarbon conversion and transportation methods and apparatuses are provided. An apparatus may apply electron beam irradiation to hydrocarbons (i.e., natural gas) to convert the hydrocarbons to liquid fuel. Lower-weight hydrocarbons may be converted into medium-weight organics through a gas to liquid process (GTL). The electrons may generate radicals that facilitate desired reactions. The hydrocarbons may be temperature and pressure controlled. For example, the hydrocarbons may be at lower temperatures (e.g., cryogenic or otherwise below ambient) and/or at higher pressures (e.g., greater than standard atmospheric pressures). Temperature suppression may reduce decomposition reactions. A high energy electron beam (e.g., 500 keV or higher, such as 10 MeV) could be used for the conversion process. The hydrocarbon may be liquefied. The liquid-like, higher density lower-weight hydrocarbons may lead to radical-neutral interactions. The high-energy electrons may penetrate the liquid hydrocarbon, treating more than just the surface of the liquid hydrocarbon.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for converting one or more hydrocarbons into one or more liquid fuels, the method comprising:
 condensing a hydrocarbon to obtain a condensed hydrocarbon; and   irradiating the condensed hydrocarbon with an electron beam to produce a liquid fuel.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon comprises natural gas and the irradiating is performed at a natural source of the natural gas. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon comprises methane, ethane, C 3  alkanes, C 4  alkanes, C 5  alkanes, C 6  alkanes, C 7  alkanes, ethene, C 3  alkenes, C 4  alkenes, C 5  alkenes, C 6  alkenes, C 7  alkenes, ethyne, C 3  alkynes, C 4  alkynes, C 5  alkynes, C 6  alkynes, C 7  alkynes, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid fuel comprises C 3  alkanes, alkenes, or alkynes; C 4  alkanes, alkenes, or alkynes; C 5  alkanes, alkenes, or alkynes; C 6  alkanes, alkenes, or alkynes; C 7  alkanes, alkenes, or alkynes; C 8  alkanes, alkenes, or alkynes; C 9  alkanes, alkenes, or alkynes; C 10  alkanes, alkenes, or alkynes; C 11  alkanes, alkenes, or alkynes; C 12  alkanes, alkenes, or alkynes; or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid fuel comprises a branched alkane or gasoline. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the condensed hydrocarbon is polymerized upon irradiation. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising cooling the hydrocarbon prior to irradiation. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon is pressurized prior to irradiation. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the irradiation is for about 1 s to about 20 s, about 20 s to about 40 s, about 40 s to about 60 s, about 60 s to about 80 s, about 80 s to about 100 s, about 100 s to about 120 s, about 120 s to about 140 s, about 140 s to about 160 s, about 160 s to about 180 s, about 180 s to about 200 s, about 200 s to about 250 s, about 250 s to about 300 s, or greater than about 300 s. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electron beam is greater than about 5 MeV. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electron beam comprises a dose rate of about 1 kGy/s to about 2 kGy/s, about 2 kGy/s to about 3 kGy/s, about 3 kGy/s to about 4 kGy/s, about 4 kGy/s to about 5 kGy/s, about 5 kGy/s to about 6 kGy/s, about 6 kGy/s to about 7 kGy/s, about 7 kGy/s to about 8 kGy/s, or greater than about 8 kGy/s. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an electron beam source comprising a linear accelerator (LINAC) delivers the electron beam. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electron beam comprises an energy source comprising solar, wind, rain, tide, wave, hydropower, or geothermal energy, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method converts the hydrocarbon that is gaseous at standard temperature and pressure (STP) to the liquid fuel that is liquid at STP, and wherein condensing the hydrocarbon comprises at least one of cooling and/or pressurizing the hydrocarbon that is gaseous at STP. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is performed on a scale of hydrocarbon selected from about 1 g to about 10 g, about 10 g to about 100 g, about 100 g to about 1 kg, about 1 kg to about 100 kg, about 100 kg to about 1 metric ton (mt), about 1 mt to about 10 mt, about 10 mt to about 100 mt, and greater than about 100 mt. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein condensing the hydrocarbon comprises cooling and/or pressurizing the hydrocarbon, and wherein the electron beam is applied to the cooled and/or pressurized hydrocarbon during irradiation. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon is cooled to a temperature between its melting point and its boiling point, prior to irradiation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adding a conversion promoter to the hydrocarbon or to the condensed hydrocarbon prior to or during irradiation to promote polymerization and/or crosslinking reactions. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon is gaseous at STP and the liquid fuel is liquid at STP, and wherein the method produces the liquid fuel at least in part through polymerization and/or crosslinking reactions promoted by irradiation. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon is gaseous at STP, wherein condensing the hydrocarbon comprises liquefying at least a portion of the hydrocarbon to obtain a liquefied hydrocarbon, wherein irradiating the condensed hydrocarbon comprises irradiating the liquefied hydrocarbon, and wherein the liquid fuel is liquid at STP.